


u & i

by Anonymous



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, PLANT DADS
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:14:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28142961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: “What do you think of this one?” Taeyong asks. “It’s an asparagus fern.”Mark has no idea what a fern is. “It looks… fluffy. I think it’d look nice on the table in the hall. The white one.”“I thought so too!” Taeyong beams. “We’ll take it!”
Relationships: Mark Lee/Lee Taeyong
Comments: 4
Kudos: 82
Collections: PRODEBUTER FEST - ROUND 01





	u & i

**Author's Note:**

> PDF083: Everyone thought that Person B was out of Mark's league, but here they are, shopping for plants for their apartment together

Mark doesn’t know a thing about plants. He can name, like, three plants, and one of them is a maple tree. He can’t tell you which plants are succulents, and he doesn’t know how to take care of them. 

And yet he’s at the farmer’s market with Taeyong, who’s currently looking at plants at yet another booth. He’s chatting happily with the vendor who treats him like her son, because Taeyong manages to make everyone fall in love with him, and Mark is just content to watch. When Taeyong had woken him up early this morning to drive him to the farmer’s market, Mark wasn’t sure what he was expecting. He’d been half asleep for most of the drive, but now he’s absolutely starving. They’ve been here for three hours and all Taeyong wants to do is look at plants.

It’s fine, though. Mark can manage. Most days he doesn’t eat that much anyway, much to Mark’s chagrin, and Taeyong’s reason for buying plants is that he wants to liven up their apartment. They just moved in together two weeks ago because Mark got a full time job at a small record label and Taeyong got promoted at his company. They had looked into getting a kitten, but both decided that they were too busy, so now they were looking at plants.

Mark doesn’t understand the hype, but he does think Taeyong looks cute as he bends down to examine what he thinks is a succulent, his brown eyes wide and soft like a puppy. The vendor is already talking about offering it to him for half the price that’s marked on the table, and Mark knows that Taeyong hasn’t even tried bargaining. That’s usually just how it goes when it comes to Taeyong. Everyone loves him.

When they first met, Mark had been one of those people who was instantly captivated. But he thought he was out of Taeyong’s league, and his friends at the time agreed. Fast forward six months, Mark had dropped his shitty friends and he and Taeyong had accidentally booked the same studio due to a glitch in the system. After some awkward conversation, they both realized they had the same taste in music, and the rest was history.

Mark knows that Taeyong is too good for him. He knows that the looks that he gets when Taeyong introduces him is some variation of _why him?_ but the fact of the matter is that it’s _him_ who Taeyong chose, and continues to choose every day. Taeyong meets models and pop stars and dancers at his work, but he always comes home to Mark every night and snuggles up to him in bed. It’s Mark that gets to hear his songs before they’re even done. 

“What do you think of this one?” Taeyong asks. “It’s an asparagus fern.”

Mark has no idea what a fern is. “It looks… fluffy. I think it’d look nice on the table in the hall. The white one.”

“I thought so too!” Taeyong beams. “We’ll take it!”

Mark takes advantage of Taeyong’s excitement to gently nudge him out of the way and pay for the plant despite his protests. He thanks the vendor who gives him a big smile and pinches his cheek, then presses a packet of seeds into Taeyong’s hands as a gift. 

“Thank you, Mark,” Taeyong says happily as they carry their new home addition to the car. “What should we name him?”

“Name?” Mark startles. “I thought it was an asparagus fern?”

“It’s our _son,_ ” Taeyong insists. “We have to name him, he can’t just be without a name. What if he has an identity crisis?” 

“Let’s him Vanner,” Mark decides instead of asking _how could a plant have an identity crisis?_ “Vanner is a cool name.”

Taeyong contemplates for a moment as they settle the plant in the back of the car. “Okay, Vanner it is. I like that.”

They leave Vanner behind as they explore the rest of the market, stopping for sweets because Taeyong has cravings, and stopping again to get Mark a hot dog because his stomach growls so loudly that Taeyong hears it from two feet away. 

There are a couple game booths, and Mark tries the basketball one. The key to winning is to avoid using the backboard, since the balls are overinflated. He manages to sink three, which gets him one of the medium sized prizes. He lets Taeyong pick out a shark even though they already have two shark plushies in their home because this one is pink and Taeyong squeals when the vendor hands him the prize.

“Do you wanna check out the animals?” Taeyong suggests, but Mark pulls a face. He doesn’t like the smell of hay and animal poop. Luckily, Taeyong doesn’t seem to mind, so they move on to check out booths selling real maple syrup and different types of honey. They end up purchasing a bag of maple candy to share and a jar of wildflower honey for Taeyong’s tea.

“What do you think of this jacket?” Taeyong asks, holding up an black denim jacket embroidered with a wolf. It’s gorgeous, and even though it’s pricey, Mark buys it for Taeyong anyway because he’s just gotten his first big paycheck and he loves the way Taeyong’s eyes sparkle when the seller hands him the jacket in a paper bag. 

“You don’t have to buy me things, you know,” Taeyong says when they’ve finally found a place to rest, collapsing on the picnic table bench beneath the shade. 

“I know. I want to.” Taeyong beams at that and leans over to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. Despite Mark’s aversion to PDA, he leans into Taeyong’s touch. 

“I think you’re starting to burn a little, baby,” Taeyong says, pulling a small tube of sunscreen from his bag and beginning to apply it to Mark’s face, ignoring his protests. Mark can’t deny that it feels nice on his skin though, so he sighs and lets Taeyong do as he pleases. “There, perfect. Hopefully you don’t go red like a lobster.”

“Why, would you stop loving me if my face peels off?” Mark jokes.

Taeyong purses his lips. “Of course I wouldn’t, but I like your face. And I’d rather you _not_ be in pain tomorrow.”

“I know, I know, I’m kidding,” Mark says. He takes Taeyong’s hand and brushes his lips against his knuckles. “Thank you.”

“Do you wanna keep walking around?” Taeyong asks, and Mark shakes his head.

“Let’s just sit here for a while. It’s nice.” And it is. They have a nice view of the center of the market where there’s a girl playing the fiddle as people dance. They watch little kids go up and shyly toss coins into her instrument case, and a lady comes by with her dog and allows Taeyong to pet him.

Taeyong buys him kettle corn, and Mark buys him a funnel cake in return, though they end up splitting both of them. Taeyong gets whipped cream on his lip and Mark kisses it off just like he’s seen in the movies, and it’s worth it when he pulls back and Taeyong’s cheeks are pink. 

They walk around for a bit more, but it’s getting hot, and Taeyong doesn’t want to leave Vanner alone in the car for too long, so they end up leaving. They pass by another musician and the horse rides for children (Taeyong asks Mark if he wants to try, and Mark kicks him), then a couple booths selling more handmade crafts (Mark has to stop Taeyong from buying wooden figurines — they don’t have the space) before finally making it to the car. 

“Ugh, I can’t wait to go home and have something healthy. Wow, I never thought I’d say that,” Taeyong says as he clambers into the passenger seat. 

“I feel like I had too much junk,” Mark agrees, pulling out of their parking spot with ease. They’re lucky that they’ve somehow managed to leave during a downtime where there’s not too many cars entering and exiting the parking lot, so it only takes them a few minutes before they’re back on the road to head home. 

“Thanks for coming with me today,” Taeyong says quietly. “I know it’s not really your thing.”

Mark squints at the road. “Anything you want to do is my thing. Don’t sweat it.”

Taeyong sighs happily. “You’re so perfect for me, Markie. No one else compares to you.”

“Stop,” Mark complains, but he’s secretly pleased. When they get back to their building, Mark carries Vanner into the elevator and to their apartment. Taeyong unlocks the door and Mark sets Vanner’s pot onto the small white table in the hall below the hooks where they hung their keys.

“You were right,” Taeyong says quietly, resting his head on Mark’s shoulder. “It does look perfect there.”

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading! kudos and comments are not necessary, but always appreciated <3


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